2012 Presidential Election

Piranha 3D sequel in the works

Despite opening with a weaker than expected $10.107 million (#6 for the weekend), Dimension Films has announced that they’re moving forward with a sequel to Alexandre Aja’s Piranha 3D.

Although it was mostly lost in the shuffle of new releases, Piranha 3D did garner strong positive reviews from critics and fans alike. Also, the film’s relatively inexpensive budget ($24 million) makes turning a profit significantly easier.

Dimension didn’t announce whether Aja would be back or if they had already hired writers to pen the sequel, but producer Mark Canton will be back:

“We are thrilled that audiences are not just loving PIRANHA 3D, but cheering for it. And it’s fantastic that so many critics are really getting the movie and recommending it. We can’t wait to get to work on the sequel,” Canton said.

The full press release follows after the jump.

DIMENSION FILMS ANNOUNCES THAT PIRANHA 3D – THE SEQUEL IS IN THE WORKS PIRANHA 3D WINS SUCCESS WITH AUDIENCES, CRITICS AND AT THE BOXOFFICE

New York, NY – August 23, 2010 – After earning rave reviews from top critics, wild cheers from audiences around the country, and $10 million in its opening weekend boxoffice, Dimension Films is pleased to announce that PIRANHA 3D – THE SEQUEL is in the works.

PIRANHA 3D producer Mark Canton stated, “We are thrilled that audiences are not just loving PIRANHA 3D, but cheering for it. And it’s fantastic that so many critics are really getting the movie and recommending it. We can’t wait to get to work on the sequel.”

PIRANHA 3D opened with fantastic reviews from top critics like the ASSOCIATED PRESS and REUTERS, enjoying a very FRESH rating of 80-82% favorable reviews on the popular movie review site ROTTEN TOMATOES throughout it’s opening weekend. The movie has captured the attention of movie fans as well as elite media outlets like The Wall St. Journal, The Daily Beast and The Huffington Post. And taking Hollywood by surprise, PIRANHA 3D – via a partnership with Funny Or Die – is the subject of a much-talked about campaign to be named Best Picture of the year. Funny Or Die’s “For Your Consideration” video for PIRANHA 3D took the nation by storm last week. And, as announced over the weekend, Academy Award ® nominee and Piranha 3D heroine Elisabeth Shue will debut a brand new video in the coming days on Funny Or Die.

‘Piranha 3D’ Is A Campy Masterpiece Of A Movie! My prediction: If you have an ounce of fun in your body, you will love this movie about killer piranhas that overtake a town of hotties — in 3D! – Russ Weakland, HOLLYWOOD LIFE

A selection of rave reviews from top media outlets can be viewed at the following links:

Earlier this week, buzz about PIRANHA 3D reached a fever pitched when the year’s first “For Your Consideration” ad hit the internet, touting Dimension Films’ Piranha 3D as a top candidate for Best Picture of the year. The Weinstein Company and Dimension Films partnered with Funny Or Die, a wildly popular comedy website founded by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay and viewed by 35 million people each month, in making the star-studded video advertisement promoting Piranha 3D for Best Picture.

Every year the population of sleepy Lake Victoria explodes from 5,000 to 50,000 for Spring Break — a riot of sun and drunken fun. But this year, there’s something more to worry about than hangovers and complaints from local old timers. A new type of terror is about to be cut loose on Lake Victoria. After a sudden underwater tremor sets free scores of the prehistoric man-eating piranhas, an unlikely group of strangers must band together to stop themselves from becoming fish food for the area’s new razor-toothed residents.